


You've found a new star to orbit

by Neuqe



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergence, Hurt!Cisco, M/M, Prompt Fic, Season 3 related
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-04
Updated: 2016-12-04
Packaged: 2018-09-06 10:31:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8747086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neuqe/pseuds/Neuqe
Summary: For the prompt: " One of them goes in solo since they're not on the best terms at the moment and ends up getting hurt. The other is very worried."





	

**Author's Note:**

> Just a psa: there's some description of blood, so if you are uncomfortable with that, please be cautious!

Barry sighed deeply as Cisco mumbled an excuse obscurely and swiftly left the cortex.

He opened his mouth to say something, _anything_ , but the words died in his throat. There was nothing to say anymore. He had apologized countless times and all the excuses were worn out and useless. He helplessly watched the empty doorway of the cortex and scratched his neck.

Caitlin offered him a sympathetic smile.

It had been months since Cisco had learned the truth about the consequences of the Flashpoint. Barry had imagined that Cisco would relent eventually, even the slightest amount. The situation seemed even worse now. Cisco avoided him even more than before. Every time, unless it was official and necessary Team Flash business, Cisco left the room when he entered it. He had probably scheduled his day in a specific way to minimize the risk of seeing him.

The worst part of it was that Barry couldn’t even blame Cisco for being unfair. His anger was justified and Barry was just grateful that he had not left the team.

Cisco had even gone to the field as the Vibe on solo missions, and Central City adored their new hero. Barry was proud of him but couldn’t completely disregard the feeling of wistfulness. He had always thought they would go to the field together, as a proper team.

Barry was now perfectly aware his actions were unforgiveable and he was slowly losing any hope of forgiveness.

A way to fix this and a way to take Cisco’s pain away simply did not exist.

***

Downtown of Central City was in a chaos. People were running away from the crossroads in a full-blown panic. A metahuman who could control metal was the cause of the panic as she was tearing pieces of metal from the surrounding buildings and threw them towards the crowd.

Barry opened his comms as soon as Wally appeared next to him with Cisco.

“This is straight out from _X-men_ ,” Cisco remarked.

Wally let out a chuckle and Barry tried to suppress his snort.

“So what’s our plan?” Barry asked.

“You need to stop her as soon as possible,” Caitlin said through the comms.

“That building on your left won’t last much longer if she keeps up with that,” Iris continued.

All of them focused their attention to the tall building that was gradually being destroyed by the meta. Windows were shattered and enormous metal bars were slowly breaking out from the concrete walls.

Cisco adjusted the gadget on his right wrist.

“Wally, go and make sure all the civilians are safe. Barry can help you with that,” Cisco said, “and I’m gonna take her down.”

He only looked at Wally when he spoke.

“Sure,” Wally said with an enormous grin on his face, and speeded across the city square to help a group of people that were hiding behind a newspaper stand.

Cisco shoot the first wave of vibes towards the meta, and the vibrations dropped few of the flying metal pieces to the ground.

Barry was still standing still. He wasn’t sure whether Wally or Cisco required more help. There were huge amount of civilians still in danger, but none of Cisco’s waves of vibes had damaged the meta. She was forming a protective shield out of metal.

“Are you sure-“ Barry started to ask but didn’t get a chance to finish before Cisco interrupted him.

“Just go!”

Barry had his doubts but he didn’t want to start yet another argument when they both had to concentrate on much more relevant and urgent matters such as dodge ball with metal pieces against the metal controlling meta.

He ran towards Wally and the people who needed saving.

***

Barry couldn’t think straight.

Cisco had been hit.

Everything was a blur after Barry had heard Caitlin and Iris’ worried and slightly panicking voices urging him and Wally to go and help Cisco.

He had been lying on the ground. His body had gone limp, and a metal bar had penetrated his left side. A pool of blood had spread underneath him, and his face had been wan and grimaced from pure agony.

Barry couldn’t even recall how they ended up back to the STAR labs. Wally must had carried Cisco back there. Barry’s last memory before arriving to the STAR labs was holding Cisco at the crossroads and then the next thing he could remember was Caitlin pushing him away from the lab.

Now, he was sitting on the edge of the treadmill and could only stare at his blood-covered hands.

Cisco’s blood.

He could have saved him. He was much faster than the flying metal pieces. If he had been there, he could have saved him.

The guilt was overwhelming.

Cisco was hurt because of him. Because of him and his idiotic decisions that had infected their relationship. Only if he had stayed by Cisco’s side instead of running away. Only if he had been thinking about something else than his own feelings, none of this would have happened.

“According to Caitlin, Cisco should be fine,” Iris said gently.

Barry let out a deep breath and looked up from his hands.

Iris was standing in the doorway and smiled at him softly.

“Is he awake yet?”

“Not yet,” Iris told and sat beside Barry, “Caitlin had to give him quite a lot of anaesthetics. He should be awake in a couple of hours. ”

Barry shook his head.

“All of this is my fault.”

“That’s not true,” Iris said, and placed her hand on his arm.

“But it is,” Barry said firmly. “I should have been faster. I should have known she was too strong to be defeated by one person. I should have focused more on him. I should have had his back because that is what you do when you are out there with someone. No matter what.”

“Maybe,” Iris said, “you should talk about it with him.”

***

Barry felt nauseated when he entered the lab.

Cisco was lying in one of their hospital beds. There were tubes and cords, and monitors connected to him. At least, he was conscious, but he looked as if he was in pain.

He glanced at Barry who was standing near the doorway.

“Hey man, I know I’m probably like the last person you want to see right now but I have to say something to you.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Cisco said and gestured towards the line of monitors. He sounded exhausted.

Barry took a deep breath. “I’m sorry about today. It’s my fault that you got hurt. I should have had your back and I didn’t. I failed you. Again.”

Cisco remained silent but at least he was looking at him. Small victories.

“My point is,” Barry continued, “that I know that I have hurt you and I’m probably never able to make it up to you. But I- I don’t want you to get more hurt because I’ve been an idiot. I destroyed the trust between us but I don’t want to you to get hurt. We need to be able to communicate out there and not let my mistakes hinder it. We will risk innocent lives and we both will end up dead if we cannot have each other’s backs out there. I know you don’t think I’m your friend, but maybe we could find a way to work together. As partners?”

Cisco’s eyes were full of sorrow. He looked angry and frustrated.

The silence seemed to last forever before Cisco broke it.

“We can be partners but _only_ because I want to help city, not because I want to help you,” he said.

“Of course,” Barry said with a defeated voice and a small nod.

Cisco turned his head and closed his eyes. “I’m tired.”

Barry recognised that as his cue to leave him alone, and he speeded away.

The guilt was still eating him alive but he thought it was better to have Cisco only as his partner rather than losing him completely.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope I did justice to the prompt. The title is from the song "on hold" by the xx.


End file.
